Gwangyang Maehwa Festival Shows Potential for Growth as a Global Event
by Heo Seonsik
Published 24 Apr.2025 14:57(KST)
Updated 26 Jul.2025 23:30(KST)
Establishment of the "Three-No" Policy, Introduction of Experiential Programs and Honorary Director System
Expansion of Urban Shuttle Bus Routes and Improvements to the Transportation System
City Holds Results Briefing to Share Achievements and Discuss Future Development Directions
Gwangyang City in South Jeolla Province (Mayor Jung Inhwa) announced on the 24th that it held a results briefing session on the 22nd at the multipurpose auditorium of the Jungmadong Community Center to share the achievements of the 24th Gwangyang Maehwa Festival and discuss future development directions.
The briefing session was attended by more than 50 officials, including Mayor Jung Inhwa and heads of relevant departments.
The Gwangyang Maehwa Festival, one of South Korea's representative spring festivals, was held for ten days starting from March 7 under the theme "Spring in Korea, Opening at Gwangyang Maehwa Village" and the slogan "The Moment the Maehwa Blooms, The Time Spring Arrives."
Despite an unprecedentedly low blooming rate caused by severe climate change, the 24th Gwangyang Maehwa Festival made a leap forward as a sustainable global festival through innovative operational changes and successful transformations.
First, the festival established admission fees and the "three-no" festival policy, both of which were introduced for the first time last year. Additionally, with unique content such as the Maedori Land Experience Zone, Jigeumabul Gwangyang Tour, and Insaengnecut photo booths, the festival transformed from a pass-through event into an experiential one.
Furthermore, for the first time since its inception, the festival operated an honorary director system, which enabled efficient festival site composition and route design, the development of vibrant content that reflected the festival's unique characteristics, and improved readiness for tourism, thereby establishing a festival that satisfied visitors and contributed to the local economy.
In addition, the city enhanced accessibility by operating shuttle buses in urban areas, expanding access roads to the riverside and main event venues, and increasing both parking spaces and shuttle bus routes to improve the overall transportation system.
Notably, this year, Gwangyang Maehwa Village, the main festival venue, was selected as one of the "Top 100 Must-Visit Tourist Destinations in Korea," raising expectations. The festival also promoted longer stays with programs such as "Maehwarang 2 Nights 3 Days" and the nighttime "Seomjingang Starlight Sky" event.
Most importantly, the festival showcased its potential and growth as a global cultural tourism event by attracting more than 130 foreign cruise tourists from Europe, the United States, and other regions.
During the blooming period, about 650,000 tourists visited Gwangyang Maehwa Village. This influx of visitors extended beyond the Daap-myeon commercial district to other city areas such as Mangdeok Port and the Gwangyang Bulgogi Specialty Street, generating both direct and indirect economic effects.
However, the festival, which began with a single-digit blooming rate, barely surpassed a 30% blooming rate by the closing day, resulting in the stigma of being a "festival without flowers." Despite various improvement strategies, parking shortages and traffic congestion remained unresolved challenges.
The city plans to address the raised issues such as traffic congestion, and aims to become a leading Korean cultural tourism festival that attracts visitors from around the world by offering more differentiated content and a mature tourism environment.
Mayor Jung Inhwa stated, "Except for the limitation of the low blooming rate, the 24th Gwangyang Maehwa Festival was a highly successful event, thanks to differentiated experiential programs, a systematically organized festival site, efficient route design, and the creativity and sense of ownership demonstrated by our staff."
He added, "As we are establishing the festival's identity and drawing nationwide attention through innovative thinking, we must also seriously address the remaining improvement tasks. I urge all staff to harness collective intelligence to find solutions, and, based on original content and a refined tourism environment, let us continue to develop the Gwangyang Maehwa Festival into a sustainable global festival."
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